SPRINGFIELD –– Secretary of State Jesse White today announced the opening of the first Child Passenger Safety Seat Fitting Station as part of his Kids In Safe Seats program. White made the announcement during Child Passenger Safety Week, February 11-17, to encourage parents to make certain their children are safely restrained in vehicles.
"Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children," said White. "Although child safety seats can reduce the risk of death by more than 70 percent for infants and 50 percent for toddlers, four out of five children are improperly restrained in safety seats. Through our Kids in Safe Seats program, we are opening fitting stations to help parents ensure their child is properly restrained."
The Springfield fitting station, located in the driver services facility at 316 N. Klein, will be open Mondays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Parents may call 1-866-247-0213 to schedule an appointment to have their child safety seat checked and properly installed by a certified child passenger safety technician.
When pre-registering, parents are informed to bring their own child safety seats to be inspected for manufacturer recalls, proper seat for child's height and weight, correct harness positions and installation of seat. A Keep Me in a Safe Seat video and brochure is provided to parents along with other child occupant safety materials when they come to the fitting station.
This Springfield fitting station is the first of two to be opened this year, and is part of a comprehensive effort by Secretary White to increase safety for children when they are passengers in vehicles. A Chicago fitting station is scheduled to open this spring. If the program is successful, additional fitting stations could be opened around the state next year.
"Research shows that when a driver is unbuckled, the children riding in the vehicle aren't buckled 70 percent of the time," said White. "Safety belts and child safety seats are our best defense against dangerous drivers and automobile crashes. I'm urging all parents to observe child passenger safety week by making it a habit to wear your safety belts and buckle up your children."
Secretary White began the Kids in Safe Seats program last year to improve safe travel for infants and children. The program is funded from a federal grant through the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Traffic Safety. Additional child passenger safety information may be obtained on Secretary of State Jesse White's website: Keep Me in a Safe Seat.
